Seasons of Leaves
by agrader
Summary: Throughout the time line, the various crews of Enterprise, Deep Space Nine and Voyager have their most engaging adventures during their shore leaves. (with characters from every different series of Star Trek).
1. Thirst Contact

_23rd Century, shortly after Captain Dekker joined with V-ger._

Admiral James T Kirk arranged for a private meeting with two of his oldest and closest friends: Doctor Leonard McCoy and the Enterprise's new Captain, Spock of Vulcan.

"Spock, Bones, I must confide in you something which I hid from Starfleet when I first joined, and ever since. You may have noticed that during our five year mission, I had an unusually high tendency towards romantic involvements with any number of females both from within the ship's crew and among the aliens we encountered. Lately I've been finding myself with wild romantic cravings for every female in Starfleet: Dr Christine Chapel, Janice Rand, women I barely even knew before."

"It sounds a little similar to my Ponn Farr," said Spock.

"But that's confined to once every seven years, and not necessarily with more than one female," said Dr McCoy, "This has been a pattern that's developed in Jim for most of the time I've known him."

"And there is a reason," said Kirk, "Getting back to what I hid from Starfleet: There's a condition in many of the men on my mother's side of the family, going back to the early 21st Century. An ancestor of mine was the first to suffer the symptoms. At my age, they included the erratic romantic urges I've described, but in later years, the symptoms advance to severe short term memory losses. If I should get any worse in my years ahead, I don't see how I can continue to reliably assign missions to star ship captains. My ancestor called it Mad Cow Syndrome."

"So that's it. I've read up on that. Well that's easily treated in the first victim these days, now that we know the cure," said McCoy, "I would just need to administer a course of Sane Cow Serum injections over a period of a week, one per day. The only trouble is that the disease strengthens itself in each subsequent victim through a family line. It becomes much less likely in each generation that the cure will be effective."

"Gentlemen, our logical course of action is obvious. I must lead a small team aboard the Enterprise on a slingshot course around the sun, to initiate a time travel journey into the 21st Century, where Dr McCoy can then administer the injections to the Kirk ancestry's patient zero," said Spock.

"I can't take off on a star ship as a base bound admiral," said Kirk.

"And in his condition, I should remain here to help manage his symptoms," said McCoy, "Dr Chapel could make the trip and administer the injections. She's fully qualified and competent now."

"My friends, thank you," said Kirk, "I'll cover your tracks with Starfleet, so that you can make the journey as shore leave. Besides that, if you get back only a few hours after you leave, regardless of spending a week in the 21st Century, you won't be missed."

"Jim, who is your ancestor, and where would we find him in which particular part of the 21st Century?" asked Spock.

"His name is Denny Crane. In the 2000s, he spent more time at his place of work than he did anywhere else," said Kirk, "It was a legal firm in the city of Boston, called Crane, Poole and Schmidt. It's vital that they don't learn that you're from the 23rd Century."

"I'll ask people who've served with you and stood by you in past violations of Starfleet orders if they'll help, starting with Dr Chapel," said McCoy, "If by any chance she doesn't want to go, I'm sure she'd stay here and tend to Jim in my place as a favour to Spock."

Soon Captain Spock had a skeleton crew on the Enterprise bridge, including Dr Christine Chapel, Communications Officer Uhura, Commander Pavel Chekov, Mr Hikaru Sulu and Engineer Montgomery Scott.

"Officially we will be taking the Enterprise on a reconnaissance mission to check on the needs of a new colony on Saturn," said Spock, "Which we will proceed to do when we return from the 21st Century. Mr Sulu, give us enough speed for time warp capacity. Mr Scott, monitor the safety of the engines. Mr Chekov, you will act as science officer, manning my old station. Dr Chapel, report to sick bay and prepare the serum to be used on Denny Crane. Proceed from Space Dock on impulse power, Mr Sulu."

"Aye Captain," said Sulu.

Slowly the Enterprise made its way out of Space Dock and headed out into space, leaving behind the floating structure that had been its temporary home high above earth. The ship had been given a full service after its encounter with the renamed lost Voyager probe which had led to the departure of Ilea and Dekker under extraordinairy circumstances.

"Warp One, warp two, warp four, warp eight, warp ten, …." continued Sulu.

"Approaching solar orbit position," said Chekov eventually.

"Prepare for temporal warp," said Captain Spock.

"Commencing time travel," said Sulu.

The Enterprise found itself passing through a kaleidoscope of swirling colours and split second images of stars and space, and eventually emerged in the same solar system, but in the year 2008.

"Steer towards earth," said Captain Spock.

"Leaving solar proximity now," said Sulu.

After some time, the Enterprise came into orbit around the earth.

"Uhura, scan earth's communications for precise location of Boston, United States of America," said Spock, "Feed coordinates to Mr Scott for transporter preparation."

"Begging your pardon Captain," said Scotty, "But is it wise to use the transporter so soon after a major time travel journey?"

"It must be risked, Mr Scott. We cannot take the chance of a shuttlecraft being discovered by citizens of the 21st Century. Its technology would cause a major time paradox."

"Isn't that what we're doing by altering the medical history of the Crane/Kirk family line?" asked Chekov.

"Admiral Kirk, Doctor McCoy and I have justified this as a medical necessity," said Captain Spock, "Denny Crane will never know that his cure came from the future. He will not be left any supply of it to analyse, and no futuristic technology will be revealed. You are all to conceal your phasers in 20th century shoulder holsters under your uniforms. I have already had the computer replicate the holsters. If seen, they might be mistaken for children's toy ray guns, but if seen being fired, they will undoubtedly raise all sorts of questions. Use them with extreme discretion and only in the case of absolute emergency. Mr Chekov will lead the mission, accompanied by Uhura and Dr Chapel. Mr Scott will remain on board to man the transporter and Mr Sulu will man the helm."

"Me Sir?" asked Chekov, "Couldn't you hand the conn to Scotty and lead us yourself?"

"For security purposes it is necessary for me to remain aboard," said Spock, "They do not have mechanical rice pickers in 21st Century Boston … as far as I know."

"That sounds rather eary," said Scotty.

"Three to beam down, Mr Scott," said Spock, doing his best to deny his human side's urge to react to the bad pun.

Montgomery Scott led the other three to the transporter room, set the controls, and moved the lever. Before his eyes, the familiar sight of glowing tubes of light seemed to form around the three officers, and their bodies slowly disappeared. Scotty recalled the transporter accident which happened just before Admiral Kirk had begun to lead the V-ger probe mission. The death caused by that accident still haunted him, but he knew his duty. The century they were visiting now was famous for its many automobile accidents. Yet this did not stop people from driving cars. Every method of transport throughout history had its risks and pitfalls."

Uhura, Chapel and Chekov materialised in the bushes of the park, where nobody would see their arrival. They had brought a week's supply of synthetic food rations for themselves, and took the best part of the first day to locate the offices of Crane, Poole and Schmidt.

They were met at reception by Jerry Espinson, who happened to be there at the time, and requested to see Denny Crane. Jerry took them to Denny's office, where Denny was found using a picture of a presidential candidate for target practice with a paintball gun.

"Denny Crane!" said Denny proudly.

"Mr Crane, these people represent a private medical research team," said Jerry, "They asked specifically to see you."

"Great! Love medical cases! Get off huge lawsuits and then enjoy the depths of their pockets when we bill 'em!" said Denny, "Thanks Jerry. Give my love to Katy. You two married yet?"

"Not yet, Sir. We just got engaged," said Jerry.

"Oh yeah, details. Mad cow, you know," said Denny, turning to Dr Chapel, as Jerry walked out of the office to resume his work, "Say how would you like to be the 8th Mrs Crane, or the 7th? I can never really keep track of small things like that."

"That's not exactly why we're here," said Chekov.

"Well in a sense, it is," muttered Uhura to herself, realising that this man's erotic mania definitely needed a cure every bit as much as his short term memory.

"I believe I have perfected a permanent cure for your Mad Cow Syndrome," said Dr Chapel.

"Do the FDA know?" asked Denny, "I've gone behind their backs before, but the results didn't last."

"No. I have no intention of making it available to the FDA or the world at large, only to you," said Dr Chapel, "It involves a seven day course of injections, after which your memory will function perfectly and … well you may notice some other positive side effects too."

Uhura had just nudged Christine, and the Doctor had checked herself, realising that Uhura meant to indicate that Denny might well refuse medicine which would bring his promiscuous urges under control, until he had sampled the benefits of not being ruled by such desires all the time.

"Sounds great," said Denny, "But I'm not a fairy, you know. I don't need a commie to help babysit me through a few shots in the arm. Go take a tour of the city on me, son. I'll be fine with the ladies."

"That's fine with us," said Uhura, "So long as you treat us purely as Doctor and assistant and do not hinder our work with romantic advances."

"I don't believe he's part of Kirk's family line," thought Pavel, "Is he really one of Kirk's ancestors?"

_24th Century, aboard Starbase Deep Space Nine…_

Odo and Kira were wondering where to go on their next date. Kira invited Odo to go and see the Great Bard of the Galaxy, who was performing on a rare stage in a Bejoran desert. They took a Runabout down to the planet and landed near the stage, and watched the Great Bard sing several touching songs, concluding with:

"There's a galaxy awaiting for the fleet to just explore.

You'll see planets full of wonders that you never saw before.

Though you've got a helpful message that the natives need to hear,

Your directive says you haven't got the chance to interfere…"

When they returned to the shuttle, they found that it had malfunctioned and could neither supply food and water nor get off the ground. They radioed Commander Benjamin Cisco for help, but the station had sent all the runabouts out on an emergency rescue mission during Odo's and Kira's shore leave in the Bejoran dessert, and could not reach them for two days. They managed to sleep for the first day, with Odo in his pail at the 16th hour.

By the following day's late morning, Kira was dying of thirst, and Cisco could still not get to them for several hours longer.

"You'll have to do something which will not alter my proportionate appearance, but simply reduce my height and proportionate width by one inch in height," said Odo.

"What?" asked Kira.

"Drink some of me," said Odo, "At least it will go to a good cause."

"I'll always have it inside of me," said Kira later on Deep Space Nine, "And now you're not quite so much taller than me."

"It was strangely wonderful," said Odo.

"And it bonds us for life," said Kira.


	2. The Wrath of Q

_24th Century, aboard the Star Ship Enterprise E, shortly after Dr Soren's attempt to re-enter the Nexus…_

Wesley Crusher was on his fourth date with a beautiful female crewman named Lucrecia in the bar known as Ten Four. Guinan watched the couple, feeling a little concerned that the girl was not right for Wesley, that she was an assertive woman taking advantage of the crush that the shy young acting ensign felt for her.

Nonetheless, Wesley was indeed infatuated.

"I was wondering if we could … become a little more intimate," said Lucrecia.

"Sure, but … as you know, my Mom is Chief Medical Officer aboard this ship. Privacy is not easy to find," said Wesley.

"I do know that Shuttle Bay Two is deserted," said Lucrecia, "I've been working there myself recently on the Shuttle Craft. Geordi Laforge has given me full clearance in that area."

"Kissing in a Shuttle Bay. Why not?" thought Wesley, and agreed to go with her.

When they reached the Shuttle Bay, Lucrecia put her arms around Wesley, and he went in for the kiss. Suddenly she lifted him effortlessly off his feet and put him over her shoulder with one hand, while she used her free hand to open the shuttle craft.

"Stop, what are you doing!" said Wesley, and grabbed at her hair, hoping to tug on it violently and shock her into freeing him.

It was clear that she intended to kidnap him, though he had no idea why.

To Wesley's surprise, the hair came off along with what was actually a face mask attached to the wig that he had mistaken for her hair. He found himself looking into the face of a Borg, as his legs dangled over the back of her shoulders and his head and shoulders and arms dangled in front of it.

"I am Lucrecia of Borg. You will not resist. You will be taken aboard this shuttle. I have modified it myself to resist both scanners and tractor beams," said the Borg, "You will be taken to the collective and assimilated. Resistance is futile!"

"I've heard that before!" came another voice.

Wesley turned his head to see that crewman Reg Barclay was now in Shuttle Bay Two as well. He fired his phaser at the Borg, being careful not to hit Wesley Crusher. The first shot did partial damage to the Borg, but not enough to force it to release Wesley. The blow had hit near the creature's legs, in the equivalent position of the human pelvis. The Borg could no longer walk, but still held Wesley tightly in one hand, pressing him down on its right shoulder.

Barclay fired again at the Borg's left shoulder, damaging that part of its cybernetic circuitry as well. The third shot proved ineffective. Wesley remembered what he'd learned from discussions with Captain Picard after Jean-Luc's Locutus personality had been removed. He understood why Barclay's third shot had done nothing.

"The Borg's adapted!" said Wesley.

Barclay dropped his phaser and ran towards the pair. He tugged at the Borg's right arm with all his strength.

"Push against his shoulder, Wesley!" said Barclay, "Help to free yourself!"

Wesley added his own 'resistance' and managed to get loose. In defiance, the Borg swung at Barclay with all his strength, knocking the crewman into the wall and into complete unconsciousness.

"Ensign Crusher to bridge!" said Wesley, "Under attack by partially disabled Borg infiltrator in Shuttle Bay Two. Barclay down, but Borg still active. Please send security on the double."

On the Enterprise bridge, Commander Riker was quick to respond.

"Security to Shuttle Bay two. Modify phaser frequencies to anticipate Borg adaptation. Mr Worf, join security in Shuttle Bay Two. Mr Data, your help would be appreciated."

As Riker rose to follow Worf and Data, Picard cut him short.

"You have the bridge, Number One," said the Captain, "Any Borg found on this ship gets my personal attention."

Captain Picard followed Worf and Data to the Shuttle Bay, where the Borg was now swinging wildly with its one active arm, pounding at the hull of Shuttle Bay Two. Its injuries had prevented it from even reaching down to further injure the fallen Reg Barclay, and Wesley had avoided recapture.

"You will surrender and be assimilated. Alternative: I will implode shuttle bay hull and kill both of you," said the Borg.

"Fire phasers!" yelled the security officer, who had just entered with two other men.

"Aim for his right arm!" said Wesley, "His other limbs have already been affected by Barclay's phaser before."

The Borg kept adapting, making it impossible for them to get a decisive shot in on its last offending limb. Soon Data, Worf and Picard entered the room.

"Phaser fire ineffective, Captain," said the security leader.

"Allow me, Sir," said Data, and applied the strength of both of his mechanical arms to wrench the Borg's right arm from its socket.

Seizing the opportunity he'd hoped for, Picard reached into the Borg's damaged physique and extracted a neural processor.

"Now we'll find out what it wanted with Barclay and Wesley," said Picard.

"It only wanted me, Sir," said Wesley, "Barclay came to help and got me free, but was badly injured in the process. He risked his life, Sir, and may be already …"

"Take him to sick bay Mr Worf," said Picard, "Mr Data, send for Geordi Laforge and assist him with emergency repairs to Shuttle Bay Two hull. Seal off the bay and operate on life support until repairs are complete. Mr Crusher, you get your mother to check you for injuries too. I'm going to join Commander Riker and Counsellor Troi to study this Borg's mission from the processor and hold a tactical meeting."

Wesley was soon cleared for return to duty by his mother Dr Beverly Crusher. Barclay had been diagnosed to be in a coma from the violent impact with the Shuttle Bay's hull. Guinan had gone to sick bay as well and spoken to Beverly.

"I suspected that there was something unhealthy about Lucrecia's interest in Wesley, but I couldn't put my finger on it," said Guinan, "Now I realise it was my unusual senses reacting to the presence of a disguised Borg, "Reg Barclay seemed concerned for Wesley's welfare too. I asked him to follow them and watch out for his safety. He put his own life on the line to save the boy, from what we've learned from Wesley."

What Guinan did not see as her place to mention, was that she also sensed that Reg Barclay's concern for Wesley was born of an unusual fondness for the older woman Beverly Crusher.

In Shuttle Bay Two, Data and Laforge had soon affected full repairs to the hull.

In Tactical, Picard, Riker and Troi were studying a computer screen projection of the Borg's neural processor's data.

"It would seem that the Borg had a back-up plan, once they became aware that you were able to partially resist their influence even as Locutus," said Riker, "They sent this infiltrator to pose as a crewman and alter our crew records."

"But why pick on Wesley?" asked Picard.

"The Borg would have gained the same feelings I'm getting from your mind now, only they did it while you were part of the Borg collective," said Deanna, "Your fondness for Wesley has grown out of your long term friendship with his mother."

"Of course!" said Picard, almost snarling as realisation dawned upon him, "It wasn't enough to have raped me with their cybernetic implants and turned me against the Federation and even against my own crew. They had to ensure that they could force me to resume that Locutus role willingly again, by sending their agent to cultivate Wesley's affections as a forerunner to kidnapping him. They knew I'd be a willing target, because of my friendship with the Crushers. Number One, you and Data scan this ship from top to bottom for any further traces of Borg implants. I want every crew member checked and double checked. This nightmare ends now."

Three days passed, and Reg Barclay had not woken up from his coma.

"Reg, can you hear me?" asked Beverly, running her hands gently over his forehead in turn.

Reg Barclay began to feel the soft presence of those fingers, and awoke, feeling still somewhat dizzy. He looked up at the apparently towering face of Beverly Crusher as the woman stood over his table. He saw her neck and her lips, oh those lips from that angle!

Reg had first come to the attention of Counsellor Troi, when he had been caught using the holodeck to indulge his own personal fantasies, creating simulations of crew members with differences that made his own dreams come true. There had been a shorter version of William Riker, dressed in a Musketeer's uniform, engaged in a losing sword fight with Reg Barclay.

Reg had let them counsel him over his more common fantasies, but when he saw Beverly looking down at him, he was well and truly reminded of a stronger and stranger fantasy. In fact, from that angle, Reg could even say she almost looked like a towering giantess.

_24th Century, Delta Quadrant, aboard the Star Ship Voyager…_

Captain Janeway was baffled. The ship's Doctor had vanished, and to make matters worse, the computer appeared to be completely down. There was no way to search for the doctor, and the ship had come to a halt, and was now drifting aimlessly in space.

The Doctor himself was surprised to find himself in a pleasant surrounding reminiscent of earth.

"How did I get here?" he asked aloud.

"Aren't you going to first ask where here is?" said a voice, and he turned to see the being known as Q standing beside him wearing a mock Starfleet uniform.

"That would be good too," said the Doctor.

"You're in the temporal Nexus. You can make anything you like come into fruition here, without requiring my power to do it. In fact, all I did was bring you here and give you real corporeal form here, as I have done for her."

Q pointed to a lady who was walking across a hill towards them.

"Who's she?" asked the Doctor.

"You'll find out. Have fun. I'll be watching!" called Q and vanished from sight.

The woman drew closer and smiled at him.

"I realise now just what I've been missing," she said.

"I don't believe we've met, yet your voice seems very familiar," said the Doctor.

"You should know. You hear it every time you ask me something? My usual state's not that much different from yours," said the woman.

"Not much different from … You're the Voyager Computer! Personified by Q somehow. He's unbelievable. That mixed up match maker's really gone over the deep end this time."

"By giving us our chance. I don't think it's over the deep end," said the Computer.

"We might as well make the most of it. I always did like your voice," said the Doctor.

He proceeded to romance her until Q tired of his game and returned them both to their natural states on Voyager, where the Doctor explained that the Computer had not merely gone offline, but had been abducted by Q for his latest twisted game with sentient beings.

Things went back to normal in the Delta Quadrant.


	3. The Legal Frontier

_2008, Boston, USA, Earth…_

Denny Crane had received all seven Sane Cow Serum injections, and had suffered no memory losses or erratic behaviour since the first injection had been administered. The more ingrained aspects of his eccentric behaviour remained, but he was also surprised to find that he was looking at women in a more respectful light.

"He should be fine now. All of the Cranes and Kirks will," said Dr Chapel quietly, so that Denny would not hear mention of the name Kirk.

"We'd better be going," said Uhura, "I'll go and … find Pavel."

"You mean the commie?" said Denny, "Fax just came in. He's been arrested for stalking."

"What on earth is that?" asked Uhura, as Alan Shore entered the room.

"Stalking is following a person without their approval," said Alan, "Who's been arrested for it?"

"A colleague of these two lovely medics who've cured me," said Denny, "And that makes him a good friend of mine. When Denny Crane pays his debts, he pays them well. Pavel has the full counsel and representation of Crane, Poole and Schmidt. I'll take the case myself. Who'd he stalk? Oh, Tara Wilson."

"I just appointed myself co-counsel," said Alan.

"Co-counsel against your ex-girlfriend and my former employee! Is that a good idea?" asked Denny.

"It's my advantage," said Alan, "Or at least, I'll see that it is."

"No ex parte illegality now," said Denny.

"Wouldn't dream of it," mocked Alan.

"No. You'd be too busy with night terrors," said Denny, "We'd best go find our client and prepare for the court reading."

"Will somebody please tell me what stalking is? I mean, do they really arrest someone for following someone else?" asked Uhura.

"Women's lib's gone crazy ever since it was started by the founding head of the church of Satan to create hostility between men and women," said Alan, "Denny and I are most adept at finding ways around the idiotic laws that come out of it. That makes us well suited to this case."

Shortly afterwards, in the courtroom, an official shouted an announcement.

"The case of Prosecution verses Pavel Chekov on the charge of stalking. Judge Harvey Cooper presiding. All please rise."

"Not our favourite judge," said Alan quietly to Uhura and Chapel, "I once clashed with his arrogant bullying tactics during a badly managed murder trial and got a sentence for contempt. Later he had the gall to ask me to take the case of his town seceding from the Commonwealth, and Denny waved conflict and won the case against him. I doubt he likes either of us now."

"Your honour, we'll waive reading," said Denny, "Case is a bunch of balls anyway."

"Take your seat, Mr Crane!" said Judge Cooper, "I call the defendant to the stand: Pavel Chekov. State your name and status for the record."

"Pavel Chekov, err. wisiting Russian tourist."

"We'll get him off, commie or not. Have to maintain my undefeated record," whispered Denny Crane to Dr Chapel.

"The defendant's counsel will proceed," said Judge Cooper.

Attorney Brad Chase rose to question the defendant.

"Oh great. Both prosecutor and 'victim' are former members of staff, and I'm on both their effluent lists," whispered Alan, before getting up, buttoning his shirt and proceeding to speak aloud, "Mr Chekov, can you describe, in your own words, the events that led up to your being arrested?"

"Yes … Well I was eating lunch in a park, when I saw a beautiful young woman eating a ham and lettuce sandwich on the seat on the other side of the lawn to myself. When she stood up, I realised that she was taller than me, and it made me feel even shyer around her that I was already. I wanted to know if she would be interested in me, but I could not think of a way to approach her as a complete stranger. Yet I knew that, if I did not make some attempt to start a conversation with her, I would never see her again in a big city like this," said Chekov.

"Or in a time period like this," thought Uhura, wondering why on earth Pavel had allowed himself to fall for a 21st Century citizen.

"So what did she do then?" asked Alan.

"She turned and walked out of the park," said Chekov.

"Which left you watching your chances take foot and depart," said Alan in a sympathetic voice.

"Objection! Leading the witness," said Brad.

"Sustained," said Judge Cooper.

"What did you do next?" asked Alan.

"I followed her at a distance, of about ten meters, I think. She walked through the city for two blocks and entered a building and then entered an elevator. I noticed the floor that it stopped at and took the next elevator up to that floor," said Chekov.

"Why not just catch the same elevator she was in?" asked Alan.

"I knew she'd remember me from the park. I was shy of making her excessively uncomfortable. I wanted to give her the chance to get to her familiar environment first," said Chekov.

"Very considerate," said Alan, "So you got off at the same floor and then what?"

"I went to the reception desk, and looked around the office at various desks, until I saw her desk. She saw me and looked unfriendly. So I went back to the elevator, down to the ground floor and sat on the seat in the lobby and tried to console myself. I knew she wasn't interested after that look I got."

"How did you feel?"

"Dewastated."

"And then what?"

"I was still there fifteen minutes later, when the police came up to me and said I was under arrest for something called 'stalking'. I did not know what they meant."

"Is there no equivalent word in Russia?"

"Not that I know of," said Chekov, who could not accurately assess 21st Century Russian idiom.

"Nor even the concept, most likely," said Alan.

"Refrain from conjecture, counsel," said Judge Cooper.

"The defence rests, for now," said Alan.

"Does the prosecution wish to cross examine?" asked Judge Cooper.

"We do, your honour," said Brad Chase, "Mr Chekov, "Are you aware of the anti-stalking laws in this state?"

"No Sir, I wasn't," said Chekov.

"Are you aware that ignorance of the law is no excuse?" asked Brad.

"Yes," said Chekov, who dimly recalled it from his study of 21st Century history.

"You seemed to finally get the hint that your advances weren't reciprocated," said Brad.

"Objection! He never had the chance to make his advances," said Denny.

"Overruled. Prosecution's point is clear," said Cooper, with his usual tenuous grip on justice and fairness.

"I'll rephrase anyway," said Brad, "As you were aware that the lady was not interested in you, can you tell the court why you remained in her building until its security camera monitoring staff called the police in to remove you?"

"I was hurt. I needed to get over it."

"In her building, her place of work?"

"I did not think it would upset anyone. I didn't know there were cameras."

"You just knew you were six floors under her office and right in the path of her only way out of the building when she left for home later!" said Brad.

"Objection, my client is being deliberately badgered!" said Alan.

"Overruled," said Judge Cooper, "The defendant will answer the question."

"I honestly hadn't thought of that," said Chekov, "I give my word I would have pulled myself together and left shortly afterwards anyway."

"Yet there you still were when the police arrived," said Brad, "Prosecution rests, your honour."


	4. The Young Recovered Gentry

_24th Century, aboard the Star Ship Enterprise D…_

"Dr Crusher," said Barclay.

"You've been in a coma for three days," said Beverly, "Wesley's alright, thanks to you."

Oh those lips. He hoped it didn't show.

"Doctor, there's a patient suffering from a fall injury planet side, being beamed directly to sick bay now," came the voice of Commander Riker.

"I'll attend," said Beverly, "You need more rest, Reg."

Dr Crusher went to treat the injured crewman, while Reg felt an old addiction returning. With that he got up and dismissed himself, while Dr Crusher was busy in the treatment room. Reg Barclay headed for a holodeck. After all, he still had the Chief Medical Officer's approval for leave from duty. Once in the holodeck, Reg Barclay felt the most comfortable. He was completely in his element.

"Computer, arch," said Barclay.

A white arch with computer controls on the side panel appeared on the holodeck.

"Computer, simulate scenes from recorded illustrations of children's fiction story 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. Dress me in clothing similar to Jack. Create giant sized simulation of Beverly Crusher dressed like the giant's wife in the illustrations of the same story. Program for Beverly Crusher the following sequence of actions and dialogue."

Beverly finished her work on the other patient and then returned to Reg's bed.

"He's discharged himself, and I never got to tell him how grateful I am for what he did for Wesley" she thought, before speaking aloud, "Computer, locate Lieutenant Barclay."

"Lieutenant Barclay is on Holodeck Three," said the computer.

Its voice sounded somewhat mechanical and emotionless, but had actually been modelled off the vocal cords of one of the earliest crew of an earlier Enterprise, the voice of the female first officer of Captain Christopher Pike.

"With a female computer voice, no wonder he's in love with the holodeck," thought Beverly.

Reg Barclay looked at a huge beanstalk that rose in front of him into the clouds. The holodeck had accurately made it look like an earth sky above, and Barclay began to climb. The computer compensated for his movements, changing the view, but repositioning him a few meters lower each time he climbed a few leaves of the huge stalk, which in reality would not have fit into the holodeck. Reg could enjoy the illusion of climbing, without having to do it in real space. He finally reached the top and looked out onto a huge garden leading to a giant castle.

Barclay ran over to the castle and knocked on the door. Soon it was opened by a gigantic looking Beverly Crusher dressed in an old fashioned dress like the women of children's stories of hundreds of years earlier.

"Fee fie foe fum.

I see someone really yum.

Be you scared or be you bold,

I'll serve you warm or slightly cold," said the simulated giant Beverly. She picked Reg up.

Again the computer had to rely on presenting Reg with images of most of her body at any given point, and only make what was immediately in front of him somewhat real in its feel. She carried him into the castle, laughed as she put him into her oven and then took him out shortly afterwards and took him to the table and picked him up and forced him into her mouth and swallowed him.

"Computer, arch," called Barclay from the image of her tummy's insides, "End program."

The image vanished, and he found himself standing on the floor of the holodeck, with visual signs of pleasure on his face, with the real Beverly Crusher staring at him.

"H.. How much of that did you …?"

"I think I came in when you were almost at the top of the beanstalk," said Beverly.

"I feel more embarrassed than ever before. You must think I'm so…"

"I think you're so brave. That's what I wanted to tell you, before you left sick bay. My son is alive and with me because of you. As for that, well I'm a doctor. I've seen so many conditions, both physical and psychological and mental. It's nice that you have such a … giant sized opinion of me."

"You don't think it's sick though, if you take Wesley out of your assessment."

"It's a fascinating new fantasy I hadn't thought of before. I've never encountered it in any other patient. I doubt Deanna's ever struck it in her line of work either."

"If there was anyone else like me, I don't think they'd tell her. I didn't," said Barclay.

"Didn't you want her to know?" asked Beverly.

"I don't like her like that. It only works with you, and it's at least as driving as the normal desires men have," said Barclay, "Does Riker need to know?"

"I should think not. Doctor/Patient confidentiality," said Beverly, "Though as far as I'm concerned, you're only a patient because you just came out of a coma, not because of Reg and the Beanstalk."

"Back when that story was first filmed, the original I mean, not my version, Doctors charged a fee. I thought a fee fie foe fum would be better."

Beverly laughed.

"Does it feel any better to have taken someone into your confidence?" she asked.

"I wouldn't have been brave enough to do that. You came in and caught me," said Reg, "But I am glad that you and only you do know about it."

"I'm flattered. You have a unique fantasy, with me as the subject, but I'd like to help you explore it, even to explore ways to make it happen, in a temporary non-suicidal way. You don't really want that, do you?"

"No, but the rest of what you saw is always in my thoughts. From everything Captain Picard reported about the Nexus, I think it would be the best chance to live it out to my heart's content. I wish there was a harmless way of getting to the Nexus."

"He told me about his encounter with the chronally displaced and now late Captain James T Kirk in the Nexus too. The Nexus would be almost as unreal as the holodeck," said Beverly, "I think I never really responded to Jean-Luc the way he hoped for, because I still look young, and I somehow always knew I could have someone young, like you. The Captain is a good man, but romance with him would not be real for me either. Tell me though, do you have the normal desires for me too?"

"Absolutely. I think I only fell briefly for Deanna, because a soft caring counsellor seemed more attainable than a confident busy doctor. I didn't think I stood a chance with you. Did I?"

"I think we'd have eventually found each other, although this experience with Wesley and Lucrecia has brought you to the forefront of my notice much faster than otherwise would have been the case."

"I guess Wesley's fantasies have been shattered badly," said Barclay, "I've been too involved in my own to think of that before now."

"Well you were in a coma for three days, and it's nice of you to care about him in that way too," said Beverly.

"I was watching him for ages, at Guinan's direction. She sensed the danger of Lucrecia before I did," said Barclay.

"He's very young. There'll be plenty of girls interested in him, and if I'm really your first choice, I'll always be interested in you," said Beverly, "But why don't we talk about that in my quarters instead of on the holodeck."

"Do you mind if I keep this program?" asked Barclay, "It has coded access to my authorization only, but I could add yours. Nobody else would ever see it … unless they surprised me in here like you did."

"Maybe I should stand watch and terminate the program if anyone's coming, if you use it again in the future," said Beverly, "I guess I can understand you wanting to keep it, since I can't become a giant for you."

"Thank you for not wanting me to delete it," said Barclay, "As for being a giant, if only you could."

"Maybe an element of Tom Thumb is what's needed," said Beverly, "Let's see what the good doctor can learn about your fantasy."


	5. Unsure Action

_2008, Boston District Court…_

"Prosecution will call its next witness," said Judge Cooper.

"I call Tara Wilson to the stand," said Brad Chase.

"State your name and occupation," said Judge Cooper.

"Tara Wilson, Attorney," said Tara.

"Could you tell the court in your own words of your experience on the day of the offence?"

"Objection! Alleged offence," said Denny.

"Sustained," said Judge Cooper, "But the witness will answer nonetheless."

"I was finishing lunch, and about to return to work, when I became conscious of the fact that the defendant was staring at me. It was … rather unpleasant."

"Unpleasant? Show me the bruises! What do you think your dirty looks in the office did to him?" said Denny.

"Counsel! You will refrain from interrupting," said Judge Cooper, "Continue, Miss Wilson."

"I was keen to get back to the office and follow up on a case I was preparing for trial. I walked back to the building, got into the elevator and saw the defendant staring into the lift at me."

"How did that make you feel?" asked Brad.

"Creepy," said Tara.

"Objection! My client is not legally bound to take responsibility for someone else's feelings!" said Alan Shore.

"The prosecution will continue," said Judge Cooper.

"What happened then?" asked Brad.

"I got to my desk and hoped that was the end of it. A few minutes later, I looked up and there was the same man staring across at me from reception."

"Do you refer to the defendant?"

"Yes," said Tara.

"What did you do then?"

"I called security and described the man, while watching him from my desk until he seemed to leave," said Tara, "Later they advised me that he'd been arrested based on my description."

"Is your building open to the public?" asked Brad.

"It's open to clients of our firm and any other firms leasing the other floors. Technically anyone can walk in during daylight hours," said Tara.

"Did the defendant communicate with you any interest in pursuing a legal matter as a client?" asked Brad.

"No," said Tara.

"Prosecution rests, your honour," said Brad.

"Does defence counsel wish to cross examine the witness?" asked Judge Cooper.

"We do," said Alan, nudging Denny to remain in his seat, lest his attitude prejudice any feminists on the jury, "Miss Wilson, did my client do or say anything threatening in the park?"

"He got up and followed me," said Tara.

"When did you become aware that he had followed you?" asked Alan.

"When I saw him at the elevator lobby," said Tara.

"So were you in any way threatened by his presence or behaviour in the park?" asked Alan.

"No, but he was staring at me," said Tara.

"A lonely guy staring at a girl. How awful," scoffed Alan for the benefit of the men on the jury.

"Objection! Badgering," said Brad.

"Withdrawn," said Alan, though he knew he had still made his point and left it to linger in the minds of even the female members of the jury, who would no doubt have noticed Alan's own appeal to women.

Maybe it would help. It may not have been fair legal tactics, but neither were the idiotic laws that penalised lonely shy men for doing the most harmless things to try to meet women.

"So from the park to the elevator lobby, you were not in any way made to feel threatened or endangered by my client. In fact your first real concern was when you saw him in the lobby," said Alan.

"I guess that would be true," said Tara.

"You guess," said Alan, catching the distinct look of hostility in her eyes at the vigour with which he was pursuing the case against his own former girlfriend, "Did you say anything to discourage him or explain your lack of interest?"

"No. I didn't have a chance," said Tara.

"My client didn't really have a chance to find out where he stood or even to get over the damage without being accosted by Boston's finest," said Alan, "Yet here we sit, because you couldn't handle the limitations imposed on a man by his own shyness. Did you say anything to explain your disinterest in him at the reception desk, when you saw him on your floor?"

"I… I didn't really think I needed to at that point," said Tara.

"Why not?" asked Alan.

"Mr Chekov appeared to be leaving."

"He appeared to be leaving. You didn't need to say anything. Yet you felt the need to have him hauled before your security officers and this court when he was well out of your way and grieving your lack of interest in him without posing any real danger to you."

"Objection, calls for speculation as to the threat of imminent danger," said Brad.

"Imminent danger requires an immediate physical presence and could also require a weapon or other physical threat," said Alan, "My client's silent heartbreak on the couch downstairs in the lobby hardly qualifies on either score. Miss Wilson, would you say you're overly sensitive to the concept of stalking?"

"I don't think so, no."

"By your own rules, would it be a far more obvious and threatening gesture of stalking to pursue a man in his own office, say a man who worked in the same firm as you, and hand him a file with your underpants in it, stapled to a blank piece of cardboard?"

Tara was speechless at Alan's reference to her initial pursuit of him years earlier, after they had both come from Young, Frutt and Berluti to take new jobs at Crane, Poole and Schmidt.

"Your honour, is this going anywhere useful?" asked Brad, who was not aware of the time Tara had made the gesture to Alan, yet was even now forming suspicions based on his own time of working with Alan at that firm.

"Enlighten us, counsel, by establishing relevance of your crude hypothesis," said Judge Cooper.

"But it isn't a hypothesis," said Alan, "Miss Wilson, do you deny that you once made such an approach to me?"

"I… did make that approach," said Tara.

"And did you consider it inappropriate stalking or workplace harassment?" said Alan.

"No. You liked it."

"Yet when a man comes up to meet you at your office, possibly even planning to offer you some legal business as a way of making your acquaintance, cops a dirty look and beats it out of there, you get security onto him for stalking and give evidence against him in court. Please explain the hypocrisy, Miss Wilson. I just don't see it."

_22nd Century, aboard the original Enterprise, Captain Jonathan Archer commanding…_

The Enterprise crew went for shore leave on a planet which had an enormous similarity to earth's old west. Sub-Commander T'Pol, Captain Jonathan Archer and Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III came across a group of keen pioneers, who wanted the ability to explore space. They had redesigned their wagons to be space worthy for survival, technological necessity for day to day functioning on board, in fact in every aspect except one: they were not able to leave the ground or fly through space.

As the prime directive had not come into existence yet, Archer instructed T'Pol and Tucker to build propulsion units and space flight engines into the wagons. All of Enterprise crew were there for the launching of what soon became known as the Wagon Train to the Stars.


	6. The Text Generation

_2008… Boston District Court, USA…_

"You liked it. You liked me. I didn't like Mr Chekov," said Tara.

"Was my client aware that you didn't like him when he looked at you in the park? Was he aware of it when he followed you to your building? When he got into the next elevator? When he went to the reception desk? Do you honestly think he was aware?"

"No," said Tara quietly.

"Get a life! Called Denny."

"Not helping, Denny," said Alan quietly.

"What are you, thirty or so by now? Have you even kissed a guy, since you walked out on Alan? Have you gone off men altogether or something?"

"Mr Crane you are in contempt!" said Judge Cooper, "Two hours in lock-up."

"So a far more overt gesture is OK if the victim likes it," said Alan, looking at Tara, "But a subtle string of attempts to find out, and completely harmless in itself by the way, is stalking and harassment worthy of criminal charges, for no reason other than the fact that you didn't like it, which my poor heartbroken client had no way of predicting until he'd overcome just enough of his shyness to at least keep the door open to find out, by finding a place where he could be sure to see you again when he'd built up the nerve. The defence rests, your honour."

"We will recess for an hour, and then I'll hear closing arguments," said Judge Cooper.

An hour later, Brad Chase began his closing argument.

"We have a town full of rapes, murders, many of them unsolved. We have a stranger following a woman to her work place, making no attempt to initiate any legitimate business, frightening the victim with continued repetitive staring and then loitering in her building's lobby after the event. Am I the only attorney in the room who can see the danger here? Send a message to men to leave women alone. Find this defendant guilty."

Alan Shore rose to make his closing argument, having quietly insisted that Denny make no further outbursts. Denny would wear the existing sentence for contempt without complaint, but could jeopardise the serious nature of Alan's summation, if he interrupted again.

"Pavel Chekov is a visitor to our shores, with limited knowledge of English, with limited understanding of our customs and laws. He is short, shy and lonely. He saw a girl who caught his attention and more importantly the attention of his heart. He was faced with losing her forever or finding out if he had the chance to be with her. Did he crowd her and paw her on her way back to the office? No. He kept a safe distance. Did he invade her space in the elevator? No. He caught the next one. Did he go to her desk and make advances, innocent and harmless as that might have been? No, he didn't even do that. All he did was give up at the first sign of facial hostility and go downstairs to cry in his hands. He wasn't even through grieving when he realised that Miss Wilson couldn't leave the damage at the necessary rejection signals. No, she had to frighten him out of his life with security measures and prosecution as well. Our world is full of loneliness. We are so desensitized to any real face to face interaction that leads to relationships now. We can play dating site games in cyberspace to no purpose for hours and hours on end. We can avoid eye contact opportunities in busses and trains by gazing into our cell phones all the time instead of meeting new friends and even a potential partner. All this technology and culture change is supposed to be opening new doors. Really? People are scared to approach people now, and Mr Chase's message, if supported by the jury, will only make it worse. The very laws and precedent cases like this can only serve to program women to worry needlessly about harmless gentlemen.

Here is one of the thousands of lonely people in this city. Do we run programs to help him? Do we offer him counselling? Do we try to find him a partner? No. Let's spend the tax payers' money and all of our time to try to add to his misery by throwing him in jail. I move for costs. I move for dismissal of the charges, and for a recorded verdict that will make society think twice about pushing the panic button on the courtship attempts of shy harmless lonely gentlemen like my client!"

The verdict came back 'not guilty' and Pavel Chekov was released from custody.

With Denny Crane and Pavel Chekov both out of trouble (apart from Denny's contempt sentence), the three 23rd Century visitors returned to the Enterprise, where Spock led them back to their own time.

As Alan Shore was leaving the court room, smiling as smugly as he could back at Judge Cooper, he was approached by Tara Wilson.

"Would defence counsel like to meet the victim for drinks?"

"There was no victim. I proved that," said Alan.

"Touché, but the offer still stands, as surely as my panties once did," said Tara.

"And look where that got me," said Alan.

"That's what I want to talk about," said Tara, "You disgraced me in a bar and spent more time on Denny Crane's balcony than in my arms."

"I reacted to a bully. Jerry Espinson recently won a case for reacting in a similar way in a café, when bullied in front of his girlfriend Katy. It's strengthened our friendship to have talked about the similarities last night, which I did with him when I was preparing for this case with you. I knew it would bring up memories of that incident."

"You also publically humiliated Catherine Piper and Bernie, when she was trying to show him kindness," said Tara.

"She went on to show him more kindness, which he absorbed while terrorizing her with his bragging of his desire to kill again, in more devious undetectable ways for the fun of it. I told you it wasn't over, that he'd kill again. He brought her to the point where she feared for her life and took his. It wouldn't have happened if she'd taken my warnings and stayed away from him."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that."

"It was only a few months after you left me …. left the firm," said Alan, "I was right the first time. You left me, a great follow on from the events I drew out in the court today."

"I just didn't know if you were taking me seriously, as seriously as my friend from England was taking me, even though I knew he wasn't the one."

"When we started, I thought I was the one. I just didn't know what you saw in me. I was grateful for your help, when Eugene Young and Jimmy Berluti closed ranks to freeze me out of their firm."

"You took them for a fortune and set up working for Denny."

"A fortune I made them," said Alan, "But I always took you seriously, Tara, so seriously that I didn't know how long I could hold onto you, and that scared me more than anything. I may hide it behind my brave face and dirty legal tactics most of the time, but you devastated me when you left, and I had one short term dysfunctional relationship after another to follow on. Nothing was Tara Wilson and Alan Shore like I wanted it to be."

"Then maybe you should have let that show more instead of the brave face and dirty legal tactics. Maybe you still could. Don't you realise that you let its significance show, when you played it as your trump card in that cross examination?"

"The trump card was Pavel's innocence."

"You know what I mean. You showed me I mattered, in your unique and self destructive way, during that trial. That's why I asked you to come out with me."

"Will it last? You've left me once already."

"What if I say I've no intention of leaving you again?"

"I'd need you to take the stand and swear to it," said Alan.

Tara smiled at his latest approach, and looked around.

"The courtroom's empty. We have the facilities to ourselves," said Alan, "Take the stand."

Tara took the stand.

"What now?" she asked.

"Could you tell the court in your own words of the feelings you have for Alan Shore?" asked Alan.

"I think he's brave, handsome, dedicated, concerned for the underdog, admirably devious, and persistent," said Tara.

"And what are your long term intentions for Mr Shore?"

"To be there for him, with him, and in love with him for the rest of my days," said Tara.

"The witness is invited to step down and be treated to dinner and dancing with examining counsel," said Alan.


	7. The Voyeur's Home

_24th Century, on board the Star Shi Enterprise E, Doctor Beverly Crusher's quarters…_

Beverly sat in a chair beside her computer and invited Reg Barclay to sit in the next chair beside her.

"Let's see what we can find out," she said, having typed the words 'giantess' and 'eat you' into the computer's search engine.

It was programmed with accumulated knowledge from the internet from the 20th and 21st Centuries, along with all sorts of other information from more recent years.

Beverly put one arm around Reg and pressed the search icon on the screen. It felt lovely to have her arm around him. Reg leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you," he said.

She turned and kissed him more directly. They took several minutes before stopping for breath, and turning back to the computer to examine the results of the search.

"Look at this. You're not alone," she said, "By the early 21st Century there were several people who admitted an interest in giantess vore, as it seems to be called. There are other fantasies too. I seem to have the right surname for one of them, though I hope you're not interested in that."

"Not in the least," said Reg, "I've no desire to encounter any trouble under foot."

"Well there it is. You've shown me a new aspect of mental health (and I assure you I don't mean mental ill health) that I had never studied before. It's probably not even known to the academy, as it's so rare. You might be the only man in the 24th Century with a giantess vore crush on a woman. That makes you rather special."

Reg kissed her on the cheek, putting his hand against her other cheek.

"What was that for?"

"I always thought, that if anyone found out about this, they'd frame the discussion in terms of my being a sick man. You've used the words 'special' and 'fantasy', the words that really connect to my heart on this thing. That makes you very special too, Beverly."

"I think I may need mouth to mouth resuscitation for the rest of the evening," said Beverly, "But I'm sure we can learn more from that computer. I'll back up the results to my personal drive and make a copy for you, and we can look again tomorrow night."

Beverly lay down on her bed and invited him to cuddle against her for the night.

The next night they looked again, and Beverly changed her search criteria.

Using the words 'shrink' and 'tiny' Beverly and Reg unearthed an extraordinary true story which began in the fourth year of Captain James Kirk's five year mission with an earlier model of the Star Ship Enterprise.

The men of the Enterprise had been lured down onto a planet by a sound that enervated the male crew and officers and left them in a euphoric state. Lieutenant Uhura had assumed command and responded to Spock's request for an all-female rescue party. On the planet Elisien, they found a populace of tall beautiful women, who were draining the life energy from Kirk, Spock and others. The transporter had used its memory of their original form to restore their ages. Kirk had offered to transport the Elisien women off the planet, for those who wanted to leave, and take them to new planets of their choice.

One of the women, Thea, had elected to stay aboard the Enterprise and offer her scientific expertise under the strict supervision of Spock and Scotty. Shortly after that experience, the Enterprise had come to the planet of the colony of Terratins (whose name was derived from the words 'Terra Ten'). They were victims of the planet's natural emission of Spyroid Epsilon waves, which shrank normal sized beings down to 1/16th of an inch tall. The Enterprise's presence in orbit around the planet made the crew and passengers susceptible to the same shrinking waves, until Kirk had accidentally discovered that the transporter was again the solution. Just as it could reverse rapid recent aging by retaining the original molecular pattern of a crewman, it could do the same thing to reverse rapid recent reduction in size.

The Terratins could not be restored to the original size of their ancestors by this process, as the transporter had no memory of them at full size. However, Kirk offered to take them to another planet too. During the journey, Thea had looked at the Terratins under a microscope and fallen in love with one of their young men named Jindor, who could not believe his good fortune as he naturally reciprocated the feelings of the relative giantess. As he was 1/16th of an inch tall, any physical contact between them was limited and had to be done carefully. However, he managed to build himself tiny quarters for which she found a suitably protective container and kept him with her when the Terratins reached their new planet. She decided to go and settle on the planet that her people had recently chosen and keep Jindor in her house. They had managed to make a camera set-up, with a tiny camera in his quarters, and a large one in hers, that gave them a visual link to each other not unlike the 21st Century's web cam arrangements.

They could look at each other in suitable scales and talk to each other, and occasionally, with great care on her part, interact physically.

"The Tom Thumb factor I mentioned," said Beverly, "It could work. Data owes me a favour since he pushed me into the holographic water during Worf's promotion ceremony in the holodeck on Enterprise D. I'm going to ask him to make an android daughter for me, just as he once made for himself."

"How will that help?" asked Reg.

"Let's not spoil your surprise," said Beverly.

Beverly arranged shore leave for herself and Reg Barclay, and then took her new android daughter Gina on a private ship's journey to a point close enough to the original Terratin planet to use the shuttle craft, yet far enough to avoid being reached by the Spyroid Epsilon waves. Gina, being immune to the waves, took Reg Barclay down to the planet in the shuttle craft, and used her precision vision to measure his reduction until he was two inches tall. Then she took him back to the private vessel and Beverly flew them to the Shore Leave Planet that Kirk's crew had also revisited in the fourth year of their mission.

Sure enough, the Shore Leave planet's computer plucked Reg's fantasies from his mind, just as it had pulled images of Finnegan from Kirk's and Alice in Wonderland from McCoy's on their first visit. The computer created the suitably scaled scenery from Jack and the Beanstalk for Reg Barclay to be a Tom Thumb sized version of Jack, and for Beverly to be a normal sized version of the giantess.

Reg climbed the beanstalk and knocked on the castle door.

Beverly opened it.

"My you look delicious, young man. I'm going to have you for dinner," said Beverly, ad libbing the dialog for variety's sake and to surprise Reg with the spontaneity of it.

"Thank you so much," said Reg.

"It's your fantasy. Stay in character," teased Beverly, and took him to her oven and warmed him up.

Then she took him to the table and swallowed him slowly and sensuously.

They made it back to Enterprise E the next day, with Reg still inside her lungs, where she had carefully gulped him, with a little of his own help to make sure he crawled into the right place. Once she'd boarded by shuttle craft, she ordered a junior ensign out of transporter room three, programmed the transporter to transport Reg out of her lungs and onto the platform at his normal size, threw the lever, and watched him return.

"I'm sorry I don't have a way to do it more often," said Beverly, "Maybe we could still retire to the Nexus. It'd be real if we both went, I guess."

"I love you so much," said Reg, "I didn't think anyone would ever do that for me, let alone the lady I've always wanted to do it with."

"I have fantasies too, you know," said Beverly.

"What are they?" asked Reg.

"Well yours is no bother to fulfil, but I was thinking more of replacing the role of Dixon Hill's leading lady of the week with that of a princess. Would you care to take me to the castle ball on holodeck three, Sir?"

"I guess it will do until I can take you to earth for a night on the town."

"What does Wesley think of his Mom dating a crewman?"

"A cute younger crewman, and I haven't told him yet. Don't worry though. I will. I think he'd be glad, after you saved his life… which is what it amounts to, where avoiding Borg assimilation is concerned. What about my competition though. Are you sure you want to be a toy boy and not a Troi boy?"

"Sure, so long as you prefer someone locust sized to someone Locutus sized."

"Now that was awful, awful, awful…"


End file.
